S.C. Strawberry Festival Cancelled Due to Weather Forecast

The Town of Fort Mill announced the sudden cancellation of Saturday’s Strawberry Festival because of the weather forecast.

In a statement from the town, a spokesperson said they made the “difficult and sad decision to cancel tomorrow’s Strawberry Festival.” It is the first time in its 15-year history that a full cancellation was needed due to weather.

“The Town has been provided guidance from the National Weather Service Staff and York County Emergency Management for several days as we all monitored the weather that is expected to bring scattered thunderstorms, cloud to ground lightning, and wet, rainy conditions,” the statement said.

The statement continued, “The Town has received concerns from vendors about the safety of their staff and possible product and equipment damage with the rain, particularly in light of recent storm damage in surrounding areas.”

The town thanked their partners and the community for the support received for the South Carolina Strawberry Festival events that have been held this year, including the annual Strawberry Pageants, Strawberry Soiree, Downtown Strawberry Jam, Strawberry Sprint & Stroll 5K and Fun Run, Strawberry Scavenger Hunt, Berry’s Bash, Strawberry Festival Brunch, and Strawberry Festival Golf Tournament.

“The Town, its staff and partners are more than disappointed. We thank you for your understanding and support,” the statement said.

Some local residents called for the event to be rescheduled while others said the festival needed to be expanded to a longer event because of situations like this.

“I know it’s a lot of work for the town. But I think many of us in the community would love to see the event rescheduled, especially for the sake of the vendors,” Q Ty Beene said on Facebook.

Wil Silvers added, “I say we make it a weekend long event instead of a 1 day event. This has been discussed in the past, and i believe it can be done with the help of the community and the town.”

Many were understanding and appreciative of the town’s efforts, including Jenny Overman.

“Thank you for putting safety first,” Overman said on Facebook. “I know the town staff and volunteers have worked hard to prepare for this festival and I’m sorry you won’t see it come to fruition this year. Thank you for everything you do!”